MSI GX640-098US
Specifications
Pricecompare
Average of 3 scores (from 4 reviews)
Reviews for the MSI GX640-098US
Source: Maximum PC Archive.org version
Neither the MSI GX640-098US’s specs nor its $1,200 price tag necessarily scream “mobile gaming rig,” but the notebook’s highlighted W, A, S, and D keys say otherwise. So when the GX480 showed up on our doorstep, we wondered if the moderately powered notebook could muster up enough moxie to satisfy mobile gamers on a budget.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 08/23/2010
Rating: Total score: 70%
Source: PC Mag Archive.org version
There are consequences when you run really fast parts in a 15-inch frame. For one, you run into heat issues if a manufacturer does a lousy job cooling the laptop. And two, battery life will suffer no matter how big the battery is. Fortunately, most gamers will keep the MSI GX640-098US plugged in and on a desk. It's a very good gaming laptop for gaming junkies who frequent LAN parties. For experienced gaming professionals, the Alienware M17x (now with Core i7 processors) is still the ultimate gaming machine.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 05/27/2010
Rating: Total score: 70%
Source: PC World Archive.org version
This portable gaming notebook is speedy and affordable, and it has great speakers--all of which pretty much make up for the loud fan and the not-so-bright screen.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 05/21/2010
Rating: performance: 76% features: 82%
Source: Comp Reviews Archive.org version
MSI's GX640-098US is a very strong gaming laptop for those willing to spend just over a thousand dollars. This is thanks to the high performance ATI graphics processor that is Direct X 11 compatible and a display with an above average resolution. They even include a 9-cell battery giving it above average running times. General performance is a bit slower and the keyboard could use some improvement as well.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 05/18/2010
Rating: Total score: 80%
Comment
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) HD Graphics: Onboard graphics card that is built in the new Arrandale CPUs (Core i3 / i5 / i7 Dual Cores). Depending on the model and Turbo Boost, the GMA HD is clocked between 166 and 766 MHz.
Only some 3D games with very low demands are playable with these cards.
» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.
430M:
The Core i5-430M is a middle class dual core CPU that features only 3 MB L3 Cache (compared to the I7-640M) and clocks between 2.26-2.53 GHz (Turbo Mode). Furthermore, VT-d, trusted Execution and AES features are missing in the 430M. Thanks to Hyperthreading, 4 threads can be processed simultaneously. An integrated graphics card (Intel HD Graphics with 500-733 MHz) and a DDR3 memory controller are also included in the package.
» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.
15.40":
15-inch display variants are the standard and are used for more than half of all laptops.
The reason for the popularity of mid-sized displays is that this size is reasonably easy on the eyes, often allows high resolutions and thus offers rich details on the screen, yet does not consume too much power and the devices can still be reasonably compact - simply the standard compromise.
» To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List.3 kg:
With this weight, a laptop is rather heavier than average. Devices in this range shine more with screen size and performance than with mobility.
MSI: Micro-Star International (MSI) was founded in 1986 in Taiwan. MSI is especially known as a manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards for PCs, but also offers computer accessories, complete systems, motherboards, graphics cards, laptops, desktop PCs, monitors and other components. However, the Microstar brand name in Germany belongs to the Medion company. MSI is known for its gaming products and has developed a wide range of gaming laptops and desktop PCs. The company is also active in workstations, servers and industrial automation. MSI has offices in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
73.33%: This rating is poor. More than three quarters of the models are rated better. That is rather not a purchase recommendation. Even if verbal ratings in this area do not sound that bad ("sufficient" or "satisfactory"), they are usually euphemisms that disguise a classification as a below-average laptop.
» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.